


It Takes One To Know One

by verymerrysioux



Category: The Legend of Zelda & Related Fandoms, The Legend of Zelda: Hyrule Warriors, The Legend of Zelda: The Ocarina of Time, The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker
Genre: Brotherly Love, Families of Choice, Fluff, Gen, Linked Universe (Legend of Zelda)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-29
Updated: 2019-09-29
Packaged: 2020-11-01 15:31:04
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,504
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20817473
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/verymerrysioux/pseuds/verymerrysioux
Summary: The youngest Link has a few observations about the eldest Link.Set in the Linked Universe AU





	It Takes One To Know One

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [Oh No, Not This Again!](https://archiveofourown.org/works/20145271) by [Sillus](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sillus/pseuds/Sillus). 

> So this fic is connected to [Younger Days](https://archiveofourown.org/works/18585478/chapters/44059108) and [What's In A Name?](https://archiveofourown.org/works/18399665).
> 
> No beta, I die like a Hyrule Warrior.

When Link first donned the tunic, he absolutely hated it. It was old-fashioned, the cap was floppy, and it was an eye-piercing tacky bright green.

It was hot as hell too. The cloth gathered heat like crazy. He wore two layers of clothing, with one being long-sleeved. And most of the places he went to were tropical in nature. He remembered sweating a waterfall the first few days. 

He could have removed it, could have changed to his usual clothes. But his grandmother made it for his birthday and he (missed her dearly when he was sailing, searching for his sister) was stubborn as hell.

Now he wishes he brought it with him.

He huddles closer to the campfire, rubbing his hands. Nights were always unbearable with the other Hyrules. It was way colder than he was used to. The others didn't mind, the layers of clothing they wore was adequate for chilly nights.

Link wishes he had that, he wishes he brought tunic his grandmother made him. It was tacky but at least it was warm. 

Maybe when they get to a town or village he’ll buy some clothes. It wouldn't hurt to pack an extra set or have a coat like Linebeck's. A coat would be nice, he's definitely getting one when he has a chance.

His musings are cut off when he feels something soft drape around his shoulders. He glances to his side and sees a familiar shade of blue.

"Better?"

He grabs the edge of Warrior's scarf and wraps it more firmly around him. Were scarves supposed to be this big? Should he be complaining? 

"Way better," he sighs in relief. "You're not getting this back soon."

Warrior laughs. "Just don't pull too hard, I'm still wearing it."

He sniffs. "No promises."

"Guppy.”

"Landlubber," he shoots back. Not his best insult for sure, but he'll find better ones. He doesn't have Tetra's sharp tongue but he's no slouch himself.

Warrior grins and pats his head, then ruffles his hair hard before he could protest.

"Quit it!" He slaps the hand away and glares at him. His hair was a mess now, sticking out in every direction.

Warrior laughs again, bringing his hands up in a placating manner.

He huffs and fixes his hair with one hand, the other still holding Warrior's scarf in place. He gives Warrior a suspicious look the entire time, not trusting the man.

He'd done similar with Aryll when he was in a playful mood.

* * *

Link wonders if it's weird that he observes Time a lot.

When the old man told them he was given the title "Hero of Time" he had been excited. Here was the hero of the stories he grew up with, here was the reason why boys in his home wore a green tunic when they turned ten, here was a living legend.

So maybe there's a bit of hero worship, and maybe he's a little awestruck, and maybe he's fascinated at how different Time was to his expectations. 

… Okay, it's probably weird. But he's not hurting anyone! And sometimes Twilight does it too, so there.

There are things he knows about Time that the stories never told. Like how he had a huge mask collection, or that fairies liked him so much (he's a little jealous that he could get a fairy in a bottle so effortlessly), or how different he treated Warrior.

Link knows the party have become close, and that some have a teacher-student kind of vibe going on. Twilight and Wild, Legend and Jack, sometimes Time and Twilight.

Warrior and Time was unexpected. He's not sure if teacher-student is the right word to describe it, but until he can find better ones he’s sticking to it.

They weren’t obvious like Twilight and Wild, but the signs were there if you looked closely. Subtle actions, things he found familiar but couldn't pinpoint as to why. 

When Time wanted someone's attention, he tapped their shoulder or called their name. When he wanted Warrior's attention, he tugged his scarf.

When Time was angry, his glare gives out waves of disappointment. It makes all of them fidget and squirm in guilt and shame. Except for Warrior, who only winced.

Jack once mentioned that Warrior had a spine of steel, Legend said it was because he had no concept of shame at all. 

He wonders if it's because Time’s glare at Warrior felt different. It looked the same on the surface, same frown and unamused look. But it felt more put out, almost petulant (dare he say childish?), once you looked closer. 

Maybe he’s overthinking it, maybe he’s imagining the weird sense of déjà vu when Time glared at Warrior, maybe both.

And then there were the pranks he pulled at Warrior. Little acts of mischief that you wouldn't expect from their serious leader. The most common one was sneaking up behind him.

Time was ridiculously quiet for someone who wore the most armor. He swore he was even quieter when they were in forests. The man could be stealthy when he felt like it.

Usually it was Warrior who was the target of his surprises.It was hilarious, the best one so far was when Time wore that skeletal mask that made him jump and clutch his chest. 

Though he felt a pang of sympathy whenever Warrior’s eye twitched. 

As someone who had a bucket of water splashed on his face too many times courtesy of his little sister, he knows how annoying surprises can be.

* * *

He thought he was done with them being overprotective of him. That they’d trust him to hold his own and not use themselves as his shield.

It happens again. 

They're fighting the shadow-enhanced monsters. Everyone is split up, fighting their own battles. He was alone against two moblins, he was doing fine.

Then Sky shields him from an attack he knows he could have taken. He crumples to the ground, clutching his side (bleeding because of him). 

He has no time to scream his frustration, not when there are still monsters to take care of, not when Sky needs to heal.

“Potions?” He asks, gripping his sword and shield tighter.

“Ran out,” Sky groans.

Well, that was just great for him.

So he fights, and if he's a little more brutal than usual, nobody would blame him.

When the monsters are gone, when Sky gets a potion and his side is healed, when everyone is doing the usual clean-up (Twilight keeping watch, Warrior doing a headcount, Wild collecting the salvageable parts of the monsters, Legend checking if there's anything of value in their belongings), when he asks Sky if he's alright and the man smiles and says he's fine?

That's the time he snaps and asks how much does he have to do to get them to trust his skills, his competency, his worth as a hero.

"The Tower of The Gods at least had a list of what I should do," he says angrily. "Here I have to guess when you think I'm weak or not!"

"We don't think that," Sky says, surprised.

"Yes, you do! I could have blocked that attack!" He hisses. "And even if I couldn't, it wouldn't have been serious! I have magic armor!” He points at Sky. “You don’t!"

"I'm really sorry." He's not going to be affected by Sky's sad face, not this time. "It's just, you're the youngest and-"

It always went back to that, didn't it? He lets out a choked scream, turns around, and stomps away from the party. He hears several of them call his name but ignores it. He walks even faster when he hears Sky apologize.

He doesn't go that far, despite what the others think, he's not stupid.

"I thought we were past this after what happened with Wild," he mutters, finding a rock to sit on. "I'm a hero too, doesn't my adventure count in their eyes?"

"It does," a voice says, and he yelps and jumps out of his seat. "You remind them of the people they were defending, and that flares their protective instincts." 

He turns to find Time, standing behind him. The man waves and sits next to him. "They’ll get used to the fact that you can handle things yourself, given time."

Goddess, he can see why Warrior is always so peeved when Time did that. So much sympathy for the man.

"Given how slow they are, might as well be never," he grumbles, crossing his arms.

Time lets out a noise of understanding. “They’ll test your patience often.”

He supposes the man gets it, even a little bit. He never talks much about his adventures, but there must be a reason why Outset had that tradition for ten year old boys, right?

Jack, Legend, and Forge started young too, so he knows he's not the only one. 

"I get it, you know?" He says, uncrossing his arms. "I have a little sister, the thought of anything happening to her is-" He takes a deep breath. "It's still hard. I don’t think I’ll ever stop worrying. So, I get it. It's just-! How they treat me can be so-! So-! Argh!"

"Condescending?" Time offers.

"Yeah!" He gestures wildly. "Why do I always have to argue when I do watch? Why do I always have to insist I can handle going to taverns and brothels? Why can't they swear when I'm around them?" He pulls his hair. "Fuck, why can't I swear?!"

"You're doing it now," Time points out.

"Because I know you don't mind," he says. "When it's the others, like Sky or Twilight, they act like scandalized old ladies," he growls. "I sailed with pirates, I bought my own property, I'm helping the future queen establish a new Hyrule!"

He throws his arms up, raising his voice that it's nearing a scream. "I stabbed a man straight through his head! _ I'm fourteen! _ Let me say fuck!"

Warrior's voice calls out. "Watch your fucking mouth, guppy!"

"Fuck you, you're not any better!" He shouts back, ignoring Twilight's reprimand of his language. "And you're not part of this talk, fuck off!"

Both him and Time look at the camp, the small figure that was obviously Warrior (that scarf was really noticeable) laughing at Twilight and clasping his shoulder, pushing him somewhere.

He slumps. "I know I'm the youngest, but…"

"It doesn't mean you're a baby," Time finishes.

He nods, letting out a sigh. "How much do I have to do, to make them see I'm a hero?" He wonders.

"You don't," Time answers simply. "You’ve done more than enough. They have to figure it out themselves."

"Warrior doesn't have that problem."

Time's eye glimmers with amusement. "He learned."

“I'm not a child," he says, frowning. “I’m not. I want them to see that.”

"You're not an adult either," Time says a matter-of-factly. He holds up a hand before he can snap at him. "That’s not a bad thing, it never should be. You can be young and still be a hero.” 

His tone becomes serious, almost solemn. “Never let others think you have to be an adult to be one, never force yourself to grow up. You shouldn't have to.”

* * *

Things are tense after Time runs away (and that was an odd thing to imagine, but what would be their lives without any weirdness?).

Warrior and Twilight argue, throwing insults that have more bite than their usual playful banter. Forge tried to calm them down. The rest of them looked unsure what to do. He personally wanted to blast them with wind, and given the frown Legend had been sporting, he wasn't the only one.

It was a mess, and they still haven't found Time.

Twilight found his trail and they were currently following it. Warrior had been quiet since the fight. 

The two don't talk at all. Twilight took the lead of the search, with Warrior just trailing behind.

He sees Legend talking to Warrior, they're too far behind for him to hear what they're saying. But whatever Legend was saying must be cheering him up as he sees him give a short chuckle and a soft look. An expression he'd only seen with family reminiscing about something. Or someone.

He blinks.

_ "You're Young Link?!" _

_ A laugh, carefree and delighted. "I told you I had worse names." _

"Huh." He blinks some more, recalling a few other interactions he saw of the two. No wonder it felt familiar. "Who would have thought."

He glances back at them, Warrior looks a little better, but he's sure he won't be his usual self until Time was back.

He wonders if that was how he looked like when Aryll was kidnapped.

* * *

Tonight was pretty good, he was comfortable and warm in his bedroll. The stew Wild made had been good as always, and there hasn’t been that much monster skirmishes either. He was tucked in and ready to sleep.

He feels someone poke his side. "Guppy."

He ignores it.

"Guppy, give it back."

He snuggles further in his cocoon of softness and warmth.

More pokes. "Wind, give me back my scarf." The pokes keep coming. "I won't stop until you give it back."

He ignores it.

A growl. “Link.” Poke. Poke. Poke.

He sighs, rolling to face Warrior. "Can you even call this a scarf?" He cracks one eye and looks up. "It's huge, like Sky’s cape."

Warrior raises an eyebrow. "Scarves come in different styles, you know."

"What style is this? Blanket I got in my bed?"

"I don't question your lobster motif, do I?"

Rude, his tunic was awesome. "Better than the ugly green outfit I had to wear in my adventure," he chirps, then gets up and looks at Time. "No offense."

"None taken," Time replies, not looking up from cleaning his armor. "The scarf wasn't originally that big, Warrior had it modified at some point."

“Really? How big was it before?”

“Enough to cover his neck.”

“And he, what? Asked someone to make it bigger?”

“Enough to cover a small person, yes.”

“Old man,” Warrior growls. Time looks up and gives him a serene smile.

“So a normal scarf,” he muses. “Why would anyone want a scarf big enough to wrap-Oh! Ah, I get it.” He laughs.

“Get what?” Wild asks, looking up from his slate. “What did I miss?”

“Warrior’s an absolute softie,” he snickers.

Wild turns to look at Warrior, raising his eyebrows, silently asking him to explain.

Warrior huffs. “I am not.”

Time coughs.

“I am a captain of Hyrule,” Warrior sniffs, flipping his hair. His cheeks were stained pink. “I lead my own soldiers, I train them, I push them to the limits. I am not soft.”

“It’s okay, it comes with the territory,” he pats Warrior as he gives back the scarf. “Sometimes my little sister does a really sad face that I can’t ignore. It happens. Mine was letting her style my hair.”

Warrior sputters.

He snickers again. He has to admit, it’s fun being the younger sibling for once.

**Author's Note:**

> Help, I can't stop writing Warriors and Time brotherly relationship scenes.


End file.
